Take Action Now! – Muslims Under Attack in Sabarmati Jail

“One who defends the honour of his brother, Allah keeps the fire of hell away from his face on the Day of Judgment.”
(Tirmidhi)

Action Alert : Muslims Under Attack in Sabarmati Jail

Date : 1st April 2009

Source : Helptheprisoners.org

Background

Horrific violations are taking place at Sabarmati Jail, Ahmedabad in India against Muslim prisoners, with many of them being physically and mentally abused on a daily basis by jail officials. 22 individuals whom have been charged under terrorism legislation have all reported suffering from torture.

One inmate, Sajid Mansuri, was beaten severely in a cowardly attack when he was praying the asr (mid afternoon ) prayer whilst in the position of Sujud. He suffered injuries to the head, broken fingers as well as both legs being fractured. After the attack, he was virtually unable to move.

It has also been reported that these injuries are not an isolated case, but instead have been meted out to others. In addition, some prisoners after being beaten have been urinated on by the Jail staff, as well as being denied food and medical treatment.

To cover their tracks, the prison authorities have claimed that they were attacked first, though as the wife of Sajid Mansuri later stated “Even the rotis [chapattis] are checked by the jail staff before taking them inside; how could the inmates procure weapons?”

After one of these individuals was visited, the visitor was threatened by the guard if they made the details of this torture known. Thankfully they were still able to report this in the Indian media.

India is obliged to follow the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights, to which it is a signatory. Under Article 7 of that Act, it is stated :-

“No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.

We therefore call on India to immediately cease the torture and cruel punishment of all inmates being held in Samarbati Jail, in particular those cases we have highlighted.

Actions Required

Contact Sabarmati prison, condemning the torture and treatment of these detainees.

Contact the Indian government, condemning their use of torture and reminding them of their obligations under international law

Contact the ambassador of India in your respective country, letting them know that the actions of staff in Sabarmati Jail are affecting India’s perception around the world.

I am writing as I am deeply concerned that routine torture, so severe that limbs are being broken, is being meted out by prison officers at Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad. This particularly horrifies me as the image of India as presented in the west is one of modernity. Clearly this is not the case, and instead anti-Muslim sentiment and abuse, worthy of the middle ages still seems to run strong within Ahmedabad.

22 individuals whom have been charged under terrorism legislation have all reported suffering from torture. One inmate, Sajid Mansuri, was beaten severely in a cowardly attack when he was praying the asr (mid afternoon) prayer whilst in the position of Sujud. He suffered injuries to the head, broken fingers as well as both legs being fractured. After the attack, he was virtually unable to move.

India is obliged to follow the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights, to which it is a signatory. Under Article 7 of that Act, it is stated :-

“No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”

I cannot reiterate to you enough that these practices by Indian jailers are seriously damaging India’s credibility around the world, and I for one will certainly be making this clear to individuals in the west with whom I speak that India, behind the façade of respectability, seems to encourage abuse and persecution of a Muslim minority within its prisons.

I trust you will be able to address the concerns in this letter so that India’s reputation is not tarnished any more than it already has been. I look forward to hearing from you to hear how your government intends to address these concerns.